The Ktunaxa Nation is preparing to host survivors of the Kootenay Residential School to help address and heal past trauma.
“We’re having a gathering of all of the former students who are still alive because many of us are aging and we thought it would be great to bring everyone together,” said Denise Birdstone, ʔaq̓am Language and Culture Manager.
“We’ll share stories, and memories and have a little bit of time to take care of ourselves.”
Birdstone was seven years old when the school closed in 1970.
The community was planning to host the event as a 50-year anniversary in 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the plan.
“I was one of the last students to attend, so I don’t have a lot of vivid memories left. By getting together and sharing stories, we can revive those memories,” said Birdstone.
“Part of the healing process is talking to others who had the same shared experiences.”
Isaac Birdstone, another survivor of the school, said confronting trauma can be an important part of healing.
“There was one person and he had not been to the school in over 60 years. He was walking up the steps and as he was getting closer to the door, he was shaking,” said Isaac.
“He opened the door and stepped inside. You could just see him smiling at me. When he was there, it was back when it was run by the missionaries, but when we restored it, it wasn’t like that anymore.”
Denise said the renovation and repurposing of the residential school building has turned it into an economic driver for ʔaq̓am as the St. Eugene Resort.
“We were able to take that school and turn it into a tourism venue,” said Denise.
“While it is still there and visible and may cause pain to some people, it is also benefitting our whole nation, as the resort is owned by all four communities.”
The event will focus on the school’s former students and their families.
“We realize that a lot of former students have passed away, so there is an opportunity for their families to attend,” said Denise.
“We already have some people registered from Alberta, in the Blackfoot Nation. We have some registered from the Kamloops area and some registered from the Okanagan area.”
The Kootenay Residential School Survival and Healing of Warriors event is set to run on September 27 and 28 at the St. Eugene Resort.
“We will first have a ceremonial walk, where we will walk from the residential school to ʔaq̓am, where the office building is now,” said Denise.
“It used to be a settlement where parents of students who were going to the school would stay at various times of the year.”
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